Picture this

The Tribune guide to professional-quality food photography

June 14, 2012

When did we start taking pictures of our food?

Maybe a better question: When did we stop feeling self-conscious about the stares from other customers when using a camera in a restaurant? At what point did getting the right shot of our Chilean sea bass outweigh said sea bass getting cold?

On a base level, taking photos of our food is a visual reminder that will trigger taste and olfactory memories down the road. Now, apps and social media sites such as Instagram and Pinterest have turned food photography into high art. And so we whip out iPhones or haul the Canon 5D Mark IIIs into the bistro and turn dinner into the cover of America's Next Top Food Magazine.

Since taking food photos is part of our job, we're all for helping advance the art form. We've picked the brains of the Tribune's photo staff to help you become a better food photographer. Facebook friends will click "Like" on your gorgeous smartphone shots in no time.

Tips for photographing food like a pro

Windows are your friend: Food photos look best when they have a three-dimensional quality, and light coming from behind the dish will do that. Also, backlight will accentuate highlights in the food from sauces. Whenever possible, put the plate near a window and shoot the food facing the window.

— Michael Zajakowski

There's an app for that: I use my iPhone and Hipstamatic app to take shots of my favorite food. Hipstamatic ($1.99) released the Foodie SnapPak (99 cents), which creates a shallow depth of field so there's some dimension to an otherwise flat smartphone shot.— Keri Wiginton

Get close — find the heart: Come in really tight, and focus on an interesting element within the dish, say, the handle end of a lamb chop, a curl of a citrus rind.— Chris Walker

To everything, turn, turn, turn: Rotate a plate until you find an angle that works. At higher-end restaurants, chefs will do this — they'll have waiters place the dish on a table at a particular plate placement. Don't be afraid to ask the wait staff. — Abel Uribe

Steady does it: A tip from my colleague Bill Hogan: If you have a tripod, even a smaller one you place on a table, use it. It makes a difference in finding the composition and holding it. If not, find something to steady your camera. Anything. Lean on your elbows, a chair, ask a waiter for an empty glass. This increases the chance of a usable photo. — A.U.

Straight down: Most dishes, you're shooting diagonally at an angle between 30 and 45 degrees. Perhaps the dish is best photographed from a "bird's eye" perspective — looking straight down. Make sure it really is straight down, not slightly askew. — Chris Walker

Tidy it up: Dining photo editor Michael Zajakowski taught me an important lesson. He said: "Before you shoot a plate of food, look at it and ask, does it look appetizing? Do I need to wipe the plate or brush the crumbs off the table?" This shot of mine could have been improved if I wiped the residual soup off the rim of the dish. — Kevin Pang

The napkin reflector trick: Here's how to set up an impromptu light reflector. Sit by a window. Take two glasses and drape a white napkin over. Natural light will "bounce" off the napkin and help fill in the shadows." — Alex Garcia

Rule of thirds: This isn't a rule, but a reliable rule of thumb. Imagine a tic-tac-toe grid in your frame. Place the subject near one of the four intersecting points. It usually makes for a more interesting picture than just placing it in the middle. — Bill Hogan

Uncluttered backgrounds: Choose your angle so the background is simple and uncluttered, or contains some hint of environment, but in soft focus. For that, use a narrow depth of field. Food photos with everything in focus from front to back can look too busy. You'll still capture the essence of the food by isolating that line of focus to the most interesting section and leaving only soft hints of the foreground and background. — C.W.

If you are shooting delicious but plain-looking food, include the restaurant decor; a cool wall or artwork can add visual impact. — Michael Zajakowski

Remember to eat: Light vegetables wilt quickly, and warm meat dishes will lose their sheen. You have a two-minute window before the luster is gone. Take your pictures, then remember what you came here for — to eat. — A.U.

Lens of choice: I use one camera with one lens and available light. My lens of choice is the 50 mm f/1.2. That's a pretty pricey piece of glass, so if you can't afford one of those, a 50 mm f/1.8 is perfectly fine (it costs about $100). — Scott Strazzante